The solution has always been right in front of their eyes
by S Hackett
Summary: It's been two years since the hospital accident. Ellie gets to know the truth from Joel's mouth as he cannot keep the secret any longer, and they'll finally talk about the events Joel prohibited to her during the game as Tommy's people find something that pushes people to look for the light once more... But the light no longer exists! [JoelxEllie as Father/Daughter]


**The Last of Us**

**Disclaimer:** **I do not own neither The Last of Us story nor its characters. All of this belongs to Naughty Dog (idols xD).**

**Clarification 1: Hi ya all people! First off, thanks for coming by! I hope you like what I'ma write in this fic! I'll tell you this from this very beginning: this is NOT a fic where Joel and Ellie are lovers! To me, their bond is made of love but not desire! Remember, like I said in the summary: "Father/Daughter". So if you opened this fic because you didn't get it by reading the summary, I must sadly tell ya you're in the wrong place. If you did get it, then feel yourself welcomed to my fic =)  
**

**Clarification 2: This fic is not only about their peaceful life. There'll be fights, there'll be infected people, there'll be accidents and deaths. All you gotta do if you want to read that kinda scenes, is wait. Just wait. It'll eventually come out, in fact, in th next chapter you'll get to read some action. I guess it'll take around five chapters for me to start with those things. Yet, I tell ya: this is more focused on their lives than on their fight for survival. **

**Clarification 3: English isn't my first language, so I'd like you guys to warn me of every mistake I have in my writing. Please, warn me about both gramatical and wrong-characters-behavior alike, yeah?**

**Clarification 4: I'll change the fic's rate from K+ to T.**

**Chapter 1**

**With the darkness gone**

Joel suddenly wakes up. He looks around him and finds Ellie in the bed a few inches away from him. He sighs. Sarah's nightmare again.

"After twenty two years…", he thinks slowly.

-Dammit…-he takes the glass close to him and drinks some water before sitting up and walking over to the bathroom.-Dammit.-he repeats as he washes his face with more water.-Dammit.-he says once more while returning to the bed.

Joel goes to the kitchen barely rebuilt and grabs the hammer and the nail that are upon the table.

The extreme silence tells him that no one in the neighborhood is awake, but he's not going to do much noise. Just a few blows with the hammer and that's it.

Joel holds that photo Ellie has given him and approaches the nail to it. He hits the nail once, twice, a third and a fourth time, then a fifth… Done.

Now he hears steps from the bedroom, and as he turns around to look, he sees Ellie walking to him with no pressure.

-Hey, baby girl.-he whispers when she passes her arms around his waist and embraces him.-How are ya doing? Don't you wanna sleep more? It's very soon for you to be up.-

-Fuck you, Joel.-she responses like a mummy.

-Yep, I knew it.-

He crouches a bit, grab her legs and back, and raised her in his arms.

Ellie carefully let her head rest on his shoulder, close to his neck, blinking a couple of times quiet slowly through the process.

-No, you don't.-she said, again, like a mummy.- You've got no idea…-her head falls backwards and after a moment, she falls asleep.

-Like hell I do.-he says.

Joel walked over to the couch and sat there, sat her back and settle Ellie's head on his lap. As he had nothing else to do now that he's got that photo nailed in the wall, he could rest and spend time with Ellie.

He watched as his hand rested on her forehead and then moved slowly to the top of her head. She was so cute, so much like his daughter Sarah… Joel closed his eyes and sighed, in peace, someway.

"I love you so much, Ellie.", he thinks before stroking her forehead and cheek.

He has lost almost all the humanity he once had. He fears that somehow, by telling her that, he will put her in risk. It is a stupidity, of course. No one in the town has something against him or her, and as the fireflies are gone, or, at least, in their way to extinction, they have nothing but the infected to be afraid of.

Suddenly, Ellie moves unwittingly, fast, and frowns after putting a fear face. She's having a nightmare. Joel knows he shouldn't, but yet wakes her up shaking her.

-Hey there.-he says when she opens her mouth for yawning and grabs her forehead, where his hand is resting.- What were you dreaming?-he asks softly.

-Some sort of shit where… There were medics trying to break into my head.-she says slowly with repulsion.

-Just a dream, kiddo.-he says while forcing himself to smile.-I see you can't sleep… So what ya think of going hunting, huh?-

-That sounds great…-she says, still half asleep.-But first make me some hot chocolate, yeah? This shitty winter is freezing me.-

-Why don't ya do it yourself, lazy girl?-

-Lazy girl?-she asks quietly, with her eyes still closed; she punches his chest softly.-Is that my new nick name?-

-No, you're my baby girl.-he says joyfully kissing her forehead.

-That I thought. Now go make me hot chocolate, servant!-she stands up, grabs a pillow and hits his head, making him fall to his side, all of a sudden.

Both of them laugh as he grabs another pillow and uses it to defend himself from her attacks.

-Hold yourself there! I'm gonna teach ya some respect, you asshole!-Ellie hits his legs, his stomach, his chest, and finally his face, when she sees he has lowered the pillow to cover his abdomen.

-Go to hell, princess!-

Joel throws the pillow to her, then grabs another and throws that one too. He runs forward and tackles her.

Ellie hits the ground and lets out a moan of pain, but she keeps laughing. Joel lets himself fall at her side and both keep laughing for a little while. She breaks the silence when they finally stop laughing.

-You know.-she says, speaking without abbreviations for the first time.-I want you to know… You are the closest thing I have ever had to a father.-Ellie sighs and looks at Joel, who is looking at her too, with a small smile.- You, Joel, are the only family I have.-she gives him a smile, a true smile.

-And, uh…-he magically manages to force himself to speak.-I want you to know that… You are my daughter now, my little… Baby girl. And that I…-

She grabs his hand.

-Easy, Joel. You don't have to…-

-Yet I want to.-he responses.-Dammit. It's hard to say it. The last time I said this, it was to Sarah.-he sighs and looks at her eyes.-I want you to know that I love you, Ellie.-Joel strokes her cheek.

Ellie gets closer to him and embraces her "father" with love.

-I love you too, _daddy_.-she whispers at his ear.

Joel starts to feel something forgotten growing inside him. He lets out a tear of happiness and blinks.

He thinks about the lie he gave her when she asked for the truth about what happened back on Salt Lake City. He knows he cannot keep the lie forever. That someday he will have to tell her the truth.

Now, he was very sure Tommy wouldn't let her out of the city. That Maria would hold her if she tried to run away. That both of them would take care of her if she wanted to leave him and she would accept.

He is also sure that she wouldn't run away from him, even if she was aware of the truth. It has been two years since it happened. She never brings up neither Marlene nor the Fireflies, yet he knows she remembers them.

-Ellie…-he starts.-There's something I need to tell you. Something I just can't hide anymore.-

She looks at him curiously.

-Ya already told me you love me, ya gonna say you wanna marry me?-she jokes.

Joel snorts at the comment. Marry her, yeah, as if he was a pedophile.

-No, no.-he says seriously.- It's… You'll want to kill me. But please promise me you won't run away from me once I tell ya.-

-Joel, you're scaring me out.-she says raising her head.

-Please.-he whispers; that "please" alerts her it really is something serious, because he has never said "please".- Promise me you'll remain close to me.-

Ellie puts a hand upon his and presses it.

-'Kay.-she says quietly.

Joel sighs. It's been very hard to lie to her back then, now it is very much harder to tell her the truth. He presses her against him, fearing that she will leave him after he says what he has to say. But if not now, then he will never say this, so he gathers strength to face her and lets it out.

-I lied to you.-

-When?-she says confused.-What are you talking about?-

-Marlene and the Fireflies.-he whispers hardly after a while.

Ellie's eyes widen. She sits on the floor, looks directly into his eyes and finds the truth. He's not lying. She can see it through him. She's been suspecting it these two years, but she was hoping it was just a stupid supposition.

-Why?-she moans trembling.

-There is an explanation, Ellie, listen to me please!-he says while straightening; the girl nods slowly, feeling betrayed.-That dream you were having before… It happened, it was real. Those medics you see in dreams were really about to…-he suddenly stops, but then he speaks again, telling himself she was old enough.-The Cordyceps takes control over the brain, you know it, don't you?-as she nods, he continues.-Marlene ordered the medics to take your brain and use it to create a vaccine by… Reverse engineering.-he explains.

-What's that?-Ellie asks, completely frozen at the revelation.

-I know not, Ellie. I had already lost a daughter because of the Cordyceps. I wasn't losing another one. Right after Marlene left, I killed the soldier escorting me after I got to know where they'd taken you. I killed everyone in my way. I recognize it was reckless, stupid, and even an excess of selfishness, but I just couldn't let them kill you!-

-You said it yourself that sometimes, the less have to die so the many can be saved!-she cries at him; Joel attempts to take her into his arms again, but he holds himself.

-I know what I said!-

-Then why didn't you let me die so the world could be saved?! The price was insignificant!-

-You're my little baby girl, how was I supposed to leave you on your own!?-he doesn't care about the tears cutting through his face.-I killed even the medics.-Joel whispers.-When I entered the Surgery Room and saw you on that bed, sedated, I feared the worst. The medics tried to stop me… I killed them quickly… With no hesitation. Then I took you into my arms and ran away. I reached the elevator while eluding bullets. And when I reached the sub-level with you in my arms, still sedated, Marlene showed up. Like I did with the soldiers, I killed her without hesitating. I'm sure she'd have come after you.-

-By doing that you doomed the world!-she says, with fear, hatred and extreme confusion.

-But you're my daughter, and I…!-

-It gives you no right!-she cries, still frozen in her place.-For all I know, I'm of more use dead than alive!-

-Don't fuckin' say that, Ellie!-Joel tries not to shout, because of the neighbors, but he just can't not shout.-Tell me something, Ellie.-he adds, calming down slowly.-You enjoy living here? With me, Tommy, Maria and everyone you got to know?-

-These two years have been the best of my life.-she confessed.-With you looking after me, learning to swim and play the guitar, hunt for eating, fighting for the old men and women of here that can't move, and everything we do! How can you ask me such a question!-Ellie cries more and more, burying her head into her hands.

-If I would've let you behind, you'd have lived none of that! Think about it, are you really of more use dead?-he says, so fast she barely understands.

-But… The rest of the world…-

-The rest of the world?-Joel asks quietly, suddenly breathless.-Most of them have become more like David and his gang than like us!-Joel suddenly sais.-And the hunters! Think about them, you really think they deserve to be saved?

That made her hesitate. She does remember what David has tried to do to her. And it isn't pleasant.

-Can't say they do.-she ends up saying.-But Marlene and the Fireflies…-

-They're all the same shit, Ellie! If you don't wanna see it that way, then see it this other one: it was them or you! Besides, there was no telling it'd work out as expected!-Joel takes her shoulders, though she doesn't move away.-And even if I was told it was sure it'd work out good, I wouldn't have let them do it!-he takes his bag from beneath the sofa, searches a couple of recorder and handles them to her.-Listen to them. They belonged to Marlene.-.

After hearing all the horrible things her former surrogate "mother" has said, the hatred she suddenly feels for her makes her destroy the recorders with her bare hands.

-I can't believe this.-she says, filled of both hatred and desire of mourning.

He puts his hands on her cheeks and presses them as he raises her face to his.

-I cannot lose you. Remember what I told you? That thing of "you always find something to fight for"? I fight for you, Ellie! You're gone, I have nothing! Think about it this way, Ellie, and tell me the truth. Put yourself in my place and tell me what you'd have done. Would have you left me behind? Would have you left me to die for some sort of stupid "greater good"?-

The kid stays quiet for a moment, then she buries her head into his neck and cries silently.

-Hell, no! Couldn't have endured it!-she keeps crying, and the little girl tightens her grip over him at each moment.-Oh, Joel!-she says.-This is… So good and so bad!-

Joel smiles as he realizes that she's not leaving.

-C'mon, Ellie. I'll make you that hot chocolate.-he says in a soft tone.-And after that, we're going hunting.-

* * *

-Be quiet.-he tells her, crouching behind a tree.

Ellie doesn't do it. She has hunted before. The girl remembers that winter through which she had to hunt to make sure they both could eat.

She tenses the bow and holds the arrow.

-Don't dare ya move, you damn racoon.-she whispers.-I got it. You got the other one?-

-I do.-Joel aims with the rifle to a beaver close to the river.

-At this distance…-Ellie calculates.-Count one second after I throw the arrow. Then shoot.-

-Let's see if you've improved in this.-Joel waits for around twenty second for her to shoot, but she doesn't do it, so he looks at her.-What'cha waitin' for, huh?-he whispers.

-For ya to distract.-she says mockingly right before releasing her grip over the arrow.

Joel suddenly moves, aims and takes the shot, barely hitting the anima, but still killing itl.

Her arrow breaks the raccoon's neck right at the time Joel's bullet hits the beaver stomach.

-Good reaction!-she says glad and mockingly at the same time as she walks over to the corpses.

* * *

**Okay, people, this is as far as this chapter goes! Please tell me if you disagree with my characters behaviors or anything! Please, R&R!**


End file.
